Flax and Linen: Following the Thread from Past to Present

August 20, 2016 – August 21, 2016 | 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Flax is a textile fiber with a 30,000-year history of human use. Its versatility and utility earned the moniker Linum usitatissiumum, the “most useful” fiber. The ancient history of this amazing fiber will be brought into the present and followed into the future during this two-day symposium.

Unlike most symposiums with speakers presenting papers, this symposium will follow a different format – shorter sessions and demonstrations covering all aspects of flax from beginning to end – planting to harvesting, retting, processing, spinning, weaving and finishing cloth – with additional lectures on specific topics. Highlights will be our keynote speakers on Saturday evening and a curated tour of Historic Deerfield’s textile collections to end the program.

Optional lunches will be available on Saturday and Sunday, and an optional dinner will be available on Saturday evening at the Deerfield Inn. There will also be a free welcome reception on Friday evening, August 19, from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Deerfield Inn for those arriving into Deerfield for the symposium.

On February 1st we will start our wonderful blogs on fiber and farmers, shearers, weavers and rug hookers and many more.

It’s FIBERuary!
Monday begins FIBERuary.
a) A month of blog posts about fiber farmers, sheep, alpaca, fiber crafts… Read one every day on the FIBERuary.com website.

MY FIBER VALENTINE – a valentine contest at Sheep & Shawl. Enter your valentine made of fiber(s) & technique(s) of your choice (knit, crochet, weave, felt, collage, …). Due at the shop Sunday Feb 14. Winner of a gift basket will be announced Feb 21. Valentines will be displayed for the month, and may be picked up at the shop in March.

Join us for these wonderful events and for our blog postings. We will share with you blogs from so many wonderful folks, exploring the ins and outs of shearing, skirting fleeces, rug hooking, growing linen, starting a small sheep farm, spinning, knitting and so much more.Be sure to follow FIBERuary to get the latest blog.

Thank you, Carole-Whispering Pines Farm – Liz Sheep and Shawl Shop

“Seamus'”

Hooked rug by Carole Adams All yarn in this rug are from my beloved sheep Seamus’